GFA, Tema Youth clash over €3m transfer money

GFA, Tema Youth clash over €3m transfer money

The Normalisation Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Tema Youth Football Club are locked up in a legal crossfire which could end up in the corridors of FIFA in the coming days.

Investigations by the Graphic Sports on the matter revealed that the founder and sporting director of Tema Youth FC, Wilfred Kweku Osei, is heading to FIFA to seek the intervention of the world soccer governing body.

Palmer’s decision is a swift reaction to a legal action reportedly taken by the solicitors of the FA’s caretaker body against the club for failing to pay 10 per cent transfer fee to the GFA in respect of the recent transfer of Joseph Paintsil.

The GFA is demanding its share of the landmark transfer fee of 3million euros earned by Tema Youth from Belgian side, Genk, for the transfer of the Black Meteors striker last summer.

When contacted, the Tema Youth boss confirmed the story and said he was only waiting for his lawyer’s advice for his next line of action.

Tema Youth are alleged to have signed an undertaking to pay 10 per cent of the transfer fee prior to the release of the player’s International Transfer Certificate (ITC) by the GFA.

However, the club insists that FIFA rules frowned on payment of money by clubs to their parent associations for an ITC, hence its reluctance to perpetuate what it describes as an illegality.

Palmer hinted of heading to FIFA soon to seek interpretation to settle the dispute.

But the outspoken club administrator is handling the matter gingerly in view of his ambition to run for the next GFA presidential election.

When contacted, the president of the Normalisation Committee, Dr Kofi Amoah, declined to comment on the issue.

Abdul Baba Rahman has been recalled into the national team ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after a two-year absence.

Baba, who excelled on a six-month loan at French Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims, is returning to the squad since suffering an injury while playing for the nation at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The experienced left-back has been named in a 29-man provisional squad announced by coach Kwesi Appiah on Tuesday.

He is expected to be key for the side in their quest to end a 37-year trophy drought.

I can’t disregard Akufo-Addo – Asamoah Gyan

I can’t disregard Akufo-Addo – Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan has made a u-turn on his decision to retire from the senior national team.
His decision follows a conversation between him and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday after he announced on Monday that he had recused himself from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and subsequently retired from the Black Stars.

The development, according to what Graphic Online has gathered followed a communication by Coach Kwasi Appiah to Gyan that he wants to make him the general captain of the team.

But in a statement issued Wednesday, the 33-year-old forward said he cannot disregard the President’s request for him to change his decision and has, for that matter, decided to make himself available for selection by Coach Kwasi Appiah.

“A presidential request is one that cannot be disregarded. I have had the opportunity to speak with the father of the nation, the President of the Republic, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, though respecting my wishes as spelt in my letter of 20th May, 2019, has asked me to rescind my decision to retire permanently from the Black Stars.

“I have taken the request of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in good faith, and will make myself available for selection by coach Kwasi Appiah.

“My desire to help Ghana end the over three-decade-long wait to annex the AFCON trophy still burns strong and I remain committed to serving this great nation and the people of Ghana,” the statement said.

The president of the West African country made the order when he spoke to the iconic striker on Tuesday evening just one day after he quit the national team in anger.

Gyan quit on Monday just weeks before the Africa Nations Cup sparking a huge national debate and disquiet in many quarters.

Gyan said his decision had been taken as a way to protest a plan by coach Kwesi Appiah to deny him the opportunity of captaining the Black Stars in next month’s Africa Nations Cup in Egypt.

But President Akufo Addo who is keen on helping the Black Stars win the title spoke to the Turkey-based player and urged him to reconsider his decision.

President Akufo-Addo, subsequently, also spoke on the telephone with Asamoah Gyan, and informed him of the considerable national disquiet over his decision to retire from the Black Stars,” the spokesman for the Ghana President, Eugene Arhin wrote in a statement on Tuesday night.

“The President urged him, in the national interest, to rescind his decision to retire from the Black Stars, and make himself available for selection by Coach Kwasi Appiah.”

Gyan retired just ahead of the Africa Nations Cup which kicks off on June 21.

The Black Stars are in Group F with Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau.

Gyan made his international debut at the age of 17 against Somalia in 2003.

He is Ghana’s all-time goal scorer in the national team with 51 goals in his 106 appearances.